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PyrActif recommends:
Pyrenees Coast-to-Coast (The 'C2C' or 'Raid Pyrenean')
It's probably no exaggeration to describe this as one of the world's great bike rides. You’ll climb some of the most iconic cols in France, nearly all of them Tour de France regulars and often the sites of great, race-deciding battles in years gone by.
All our C2C routes include the Tourmalet, the Aubisque, the Aspin and several others near the top of the list for any 'col bagger'.
Between the surfer’s paradise of the Atlantic coast and the sun-kissed beaches of the Mediterranean, you’ll benefit from detailed mapping, full vehicle support (saving you the hassle and weight of carrying multiple clothing layers or lots of spares), mechanical back-up and on-the-road refreshments.
Our high-capacity minibuses and trailers will usually provide airport pick-up & drop-off and transport all your luggage (including bike boxes) from end to end, leaving you to concentrate on the cycling and the camaraderie.
We offer FOUR different options for your 'Raid' or 'Coast to Coast' experience:
The 'official' Raid Pyrenean - if you want to ride the traverse in line with the guidelines laid out in the 1950s by the Cyclo Club Bearnaise (i.e. you must complete the ride between 1st June - 30th September, within a 100-hour time-frame and have a pass-book - known as a 'carnet' - stamped by e.g. cafe owners at key points along the ride) then we can provide all the support you need in arranging the pre-trip admin and on-the-road logistics, accommodation & meals. To the casual observer, the Raid remains the most challenging option, but it suffers somewhat nowadays from the heavy increase in traffic on the roads between Tarascon and the summit of the Col de Puymorens. Sections of dual carriageway and numerous heavy goods vehicles transporting their loads into land-locked Andorra may not have been a hazard in the 1950s, but in the 21st century, for some, they do slightly reduce the appeal of the 'official' route.
The PyrActif 'Classic' Coast-to-Coast - since most riders will take a full week's holiday for this type of trip (and so have no real need to complete the ride inside 100 hours), the Classic C2C just relaxes the pace a little and takes you on a pure 'riders route' which swaps the clutter of the Col de Puymorens for the tranquil roads and dramatic beauty of the Route des Corniches & Col de Jau. We ride on a '5-day + 4-hours schedule' (rather than the Raid's 4-days + 4-hours), but the 'stages' remain challenging and all the most iconic climbs (Tourmalet, Aubisque etc) still feature as you'd expect. You also avoid the need to have a pass-book stamped or to make yourself available for 'surprise inspections' as can be required by 'official Raid' rules.
The PyrActif 'Pro Strength' Coast-to-Coast - our most challenging route, combining as it does, a 6-day riding schedule with the very best climbs available to string together a full traverse. In addition to the 'Four Monuments' of the Aspin, Peyresourde, Tourmalet & Aubisque, we add in the 2001m 'gem' which is the Port de Pailheres, the magnificent 'new' Tour de France climb of the Port de Bales (first given a proper road surface for the 2007 Tour and included again in the 2010 Tour itinerary) and the wonderful 'sting in the tail' of the Basque cols of Bagargui & Burdincurutcheta. Ridden East to West, this route enables anyone who's previously ridden a traditional West to East traverse to experience the classic climbs from an entirely different perspective.
A Fully Bespoke crossing - tell us how & when you want to put your route together and we'll help make it happen for you. Maybe you want to take an occasional detour to include a famous 'dead end' climb like Hautacam, Luz Ardiden or Superbagneres? Maybe you want to sample the mythology of some of the short ultra-steep cols like the Peguere or Crouzette? Perhaps you want to ride a 100-hour schedule, but would prefer to avoid the 'Andorra traffic'? Whatever your thinking, we'll do all we can to create your 'Perfect Raid'. And don't presume this will make the trip more expensive than a 'packaged' event. If your route means we can still use accommodation where we have an exisiting relationship with the hotelier, then we'll keep our prices just as they are for our other options.
These are amongst our most popular tours each year – and with good reason; they really are cracking rides.
Satisfied and sun-tanned on reaching the Med
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“So many great memories (and still recovering legs) from our wonderful time in the Pyrenees. Everything was first rate. And what a super group of people with which to ride Coast to Coast, one of the many reasons our PyrActif experiences have been so special.” Murray Soicher, experienced road rider, Ottawa, Canada
“Thank you for an excellent week - you and Helen did a superb job. I'm already enthused for next year!!”
PatGriffin, audax rider, Cork, Ireland
“Thanks for a great week in the mountains. I think you guys did a fantastic job. You added some nice touches; the prizes at the end, Helen's picnic lunches and the way you looked after everybody in the occasional bad weather (especially the cafe stop on the Tourmalet). I was also impressed by your "route marshaling". It was actually quite difficult to get lost! Keep up the good work. Looking forward to coming back next year.” Ian Graver, club rider and ‘sportivist’, Kent, UK
The final kilometre of the Aubisque....
In 2011, we will run at least two tours along our Coast-to-Coast ‘Classic’ route – a West to East traverse over 710km, climbing 17 cols and 10,000m in a 7-day trip featuring 5½ days of riding.
To maximise your enjoyment of a 'Classic C2C', we recommend flying into Biarritz airport (or to Toulouse on a flight arriving Saturday a.m.). The best return flights are from Carcassonne or Toulouse on the following Saturday.
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Making its debut in 2010 and sure to be popular again in 2011, is our Coast-to-Coast ‘Pro Strength’ route. Run East to West, we tackle 16 major (Category 3 or above) climbs in 6 days riding. With 740km and 14,000m under your belt at the end of the trip you will have ridden a truly memorable route.
To maximise your enjoyment of a 'Pro Strength C2C', we recommend flying into Carcassonne or Toulouse on a flight arriving Saturday a.m. with a return flight from Biarritz or Toulouse the following Saturday. Please note that return flights from Toulouse need to check-in after 1 p.m. for us to make it back there from Biarritz on time.
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And if you want to ride the ‘official’ 100-hour Raid Pyrenean then we can provide a full support package for that too. Riding from Hendaye on the Atlantic coast to Cerbere on the Mediterranean within the traditional 100-hour deadline, you’ll average around 170km per day and certainly go home knowing you’ve ‘done a ride’!
For route and ride profile information click here or on the 'Raid Pyrenean route' button near the foot of this page.
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Trip dates & prices 2011
With many riders booking these trips well in advance so that they can build in plenty of training/preparation time, we're now listing trip our dates for 2011. Our 2010 trips are all now fully booked.
2nd-9th July 2011 (or contact us to discuss other options)
€829 per person
Classic and 'Pro Strength'trips include airport transfers (within specified timings), 7 nights accommodation (shared room basis; a single supplement of 230 euros applies), 7 breakfasts, 5 evening meals, on-the-road support vehicle & maps.RAID Pyreneantrips include airport transfers, 6 nights accommodation (shared room basis; a single supplement of 230 euros applies), 6 breakfasts, 4 evening meals, on-the-road support vehicles & maps. Riders usually create a 'kitty' from which PyrActif staff will supply all lunches and on-the-bike refreshments (e.g. energy bars, bananas etc). At our pre-ride dinner and end-of-ride celebratory meal, riders pay their own restaurant bill. Accommodation is in comfortable 2-star hotels (Campanile or similar) or accredited guest houses.
